There’s so much to love about bell peppers. They turn a tub of hummus into a well-rounded snack. They char on the grill in no time at all. They can be stuffed to the rim and roasted till supple. Bell peppers manage to breathe life and color into all of our favorites, and we thank them for that.

For a bell pepper with a sweet-as-can-be disposition, look to the ruby-red variety. For a subtle and pleasantly bitter flavor, green is the pepper for you. And for something that falls in between, it’s all about the orange and the yellow.

Untouched bell peppers may come down with a cold crunch, but they also make for a comforting fall dish when cooked down until soft and sweet.

Settle into a big bowl of Creamy Red Pepper Soup with a dollop of mascarpone to start, but make sure to have a slice of ultra-crusty bread on hand for dipping benefits.